On Friday, May 14, 2010, Midwest Bank and Trust Company, Elmwood Park, IL was closed by the Illinois Department of Financial Professional Regulation - Division of Banking. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) was then named Receiver. Subsequent to the closure, FirstMerit Bank, NA, Akron, OH acquired substantially all the deposits and assets of Midwest Bank and Trust Company from the FDIC as Receiver for Midwest Bank and Trust Company. Any claims by equity holders were not acquired. Share price does not trigger a bank closing and was not the reason for Midwest Bank and Trust Company's failure.

The total balance in your account(s) has been transferred to FirstMerit Bank, NA and will be available for transactions during regular business hours at the former Midwest Bank and Trust Company branches.

You may continue to use your same checks, ATM/Debit cards until notified.

All direct deposits, including social security checks, will continue as usual.

1. What about my account with Midwest Bank and Trust Company?

If you had an account with Midwest Bank and Trust Company, you now have an account with FirstMerit Bank, NA, Akron, OH. All deposit accounts, which include checking, savings, money market, CDs and retirement accounts, have been transferred to FirstMerit Bank NA, regardless of the dollar amount. No one lost any money on deposit in Midwest Bank and Trust Company.

Customers of both banks should continue to use their existing branches until FirstMerit Bank NA, can fully integrate the deposit records of Midwest Bank and Trust Company.

To forewarn you of any scams, please be advised that you will not receive any notification from the FDIC, the Receiver, or FirstMerit Bank, NA to claim/unlock/unsuspend your account or to provide any private information. Please be watchful for and resist any such scams to obtain information from you by individuals or entities purporting to act on behalf of Midwest Bank and Trust Company, FirstMerit Bank, NA, or the FDIC.

3. I am a deposit broker or have brokered deposits. What do I do?

As an All-Deposit Transfer transaction, the total of all deposit accounts, including ALL brokered deposits have been assumed by FirstMerit Bank NA.

Be advised, however, that from and after the date of closing, FirstMerit Bank, NA will accrue and pay interest on deposit liabilities at a rate it shall determine; accordingly, FirstMerit Bank, NA shall permit depositors, including brokered depositors, impacted by reduced rates to withdraw their deposits without penalty for early withdrawal.

If you are a customer who has a Midwest Bank and Trust Company deposit through a broker, you must contact your broker with any questions.

4. What will happen to my direct deposits?

5. I already have other deposit accounts with the FirstMerit Bank, National Association. When combined with balances at this bank, my deposits exceed $250,000. Are all funds insured?

The accounts transferred to FirstMerit Bank, NA will be separately insured for at least six months after the merger. This grace period gives a depositor the opportunity to restructure the accounts, if necessary.

CDs from the failed bank are separately insured until the earliest maturity date after the end of the six-month grace period.

CDs that mature during the six-month grace period and are renewed for the same term and in the same dollar amount (either with or without accrued interest) continue to be separately insured until the first maturity date after the six-month period.

If a CD matures during the six-month grace period and is renewed on any other basis, it would be separately insured only until the end of the six-month grace period.

6. Will I continue to earn interest at the same rate? Will I be charged an early withdrawal penalty?

Interest on all deposits accrued through Friday, May 14, 2010, will be paid at your same rate. FirstMerit Bank, NA will review rates and notify you if interest rates will change. Your interest rate may be reduced.

You may withdraw funds from any transferred account without an early withdrawal penalty until you enter into a new deposit agreement with your new bank. Entering into a new deposit agreement can be done by either renewing your CD or making a deposit to or a withdrawal from your account.

7. What about my loan or mortgage with Midwest Bank and Trust Company?

All mortgages and loans have been assumed by FirstMerit Bank, NA. Your payment amount and due date are the same. If you are having your payment deducted from your account, it will continue as it has in the past. You should continue to make your checks payable to Midwest Bank and Trust Company and send your payments to the same address.

11. How can I claim the contents of my safe deposit box?

12. What about my shares of stock?

All shares of Midwest Bank and Trust Company were owned by its holding company, Midwest Banc Holdings, Inc., Melrose Park, IL. The holding company was not included in the closing of the bank or the resulting receivership. If you are a shareholder of Midwest Banc Holdings, Inc., please do not contact or file a claim with the Receiver. You may contact Midwest Banc Holdings, Inc. directly for information as follows:

13. Why do all deposits, insured or not, pass in some transactions but not in others?

The FDIC is required by law to employ the least-cost resolution measure for each failed financial institution. The most frequent result had been for the FDIC to transfer only the insured deposits in a Purchase and Assumption transaction; however, the temporary increase in the deposit insurance limit has assisted in the transfer of all deposits more often in the past year.

SCAMS: Be watchful for and resistant to any scams to obtain information from you by individuals or entities stating that they are acting on behalf of either the failed bank, new bank, or the FDIC. Should you be contacted by anyone requesting personal information from you related to this event, please contact the call center above and you will be directed to the appropriate person.